Contents

Biography

Early Life

Being inept and incompetent, Sir Luckless decided to travel to the Fountain of Fair Fortune among millions of others. As the chink in the wall of the garden open, Amata gets tangled in the armour of the knight, and as the vines pull Asha in, all three witches along with the knight get pulled through the wall and into the garden.

Since only one of them will be permitted to bathe in the Fountain, the first two witches are upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor. Because he has no magical power, recognizes the women as witches, and is well-suited to his name, "Sir Luckless," the knight announces his intention to abandon the quest. Amata promptly chides him for giving up and asks him to join their group.[1]

The Tasks

First Challenge

"Sir Luckless drew his sword and attempted to kill the beast, but his blade snapped"

First, they face a "monstrous white worm, bloated and blind" who demands "proof of your pain." Sir Luckless tried to kill the beast with his sword, but it just snapped in half. Soon, Asha's tears of frustration finally satisfy the worm, and the four are allowed to pass.[1]

Second Challenge

Next, they face a steep slope and were asked to pay the "fruit of their labours". Sir Luckless placed his only coin on the grassy hill, but it rolled away. They were not able to proceed until Altheda climbs faster than the rest and throws the sweat from her brow upon the hillside.[1]

Third Challenge

"Sir Luckless attempted to float across the stream on his shield, but it sank"

They faced a stream in their path and are asked to pay "the treasure of your past." Sir Luckless tried to float across the stream on his shield but it just sank. Amata thinks to use her wand to withdraw the memories of the lover who abandoned her, and drop them into the water. Stepping stones appear in the water, and the four are able to cross to the Fountain, where they must decide who gets to bathe.[1]

True Love

"So the knight clanked forth in the last rays of the setting sun, and bathed in the Fountain of Fair Fortune..."

Asha collapses from exhaustion and is near death. She is in such pain that she cannot make it to the Fountain, and she begs her three friends not to move her. Altheda quickly mixes a powerful potion in an attempt to revive her, and the concoction actually cures her malady, so she no longer needs the Fountain's waters, neither did Altheda as she could now make gold out of the cure. The third witch, Amata realizes that once she washed away her regret for her lover, she was able to see him for what he really was ("cruel and faithless"), and she no longer needs the Fountain. She turns to Sir Luckless and offers him his turn at the Fountain as a reward for his bravery. The knight, amazed at his luck, bathes in the Fountain and flings himself "in his rusted armour" at the feet of Amata and begs for her "hand and her heart." Each witch achieves their dreams for a cure, a hapless knight wins knowledge of his bravery, and Amata, the one witch who had faith in him, realises that she has found a "man worthy of her." [1]

Relationships

Amata

Amata gets tangled in the armour of a knight, and as the vines pull Asha in, all three witches along with the knight get pulled through the wall and into the garden.

Since only one of them will be permitted to bathe in the Fountain, the first two witches are upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor. Because the knight prossed of no magical power, he recognizes the women as witches, and is well-suited to his name, "Sir Luckless," the knight announces his intention to abandon the quest. Amata promptly chides him for giving up and asks him to join their group.

The task that Sir Luckless succeeded in on the second, which help the witches to journey forth. The challenge was that there were asked to pay the "fruit of their labours". Sir Luckless dropped a single coin on the grassy hill, which was not accepted.

When they reach the fountain, Amata lets him bath in the waters. The knight, amazed at his luck, bathes in the Fountain and flings himself "in his rusted armour" at the feet of Amata and begs for her "hand and her heart." Each witch achieves their dreams for a cure, a hapless knight wins knowledge of his bravery, and Amata, the one witch who had faith in him, realises that she has found a "man worthy of her."[1]

Asha and Altheda

"Asha and Altheda were angry with Amata, who had accidentally brought along the knight"

When Amata accidentally brought Sir Luckless with them, they were first upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor.

Though he attempted to succeed in all three tasks, his efforts accomplished nothing until he assisted Altheda in creating a powerful potion for Asha by giving her his water flask.

The witches allow him to bathe in the fountain because they no more needed it. The four set off "arm-in-arm" we then learn that the four friends live long, never realising that the Fountain's waters "carried no enchantment at all."[1]

Personality and traits

At first, he was a man who was not brave or skillful, and he tried to withdraw himself from the journey to the fountain. He proved to be brave and determined later during the story, however, as he tried to fight an worm, give up his only coin, and tried to float across dangerous waters to get himself and the three witches to the fountain. In the end, he was quite helpful as he helped make a potion to revive Asha and let the witches decide among themselves who should bathe in the fountain. He became giddy and astonished as he was one of a hundred got to bathe in the fountain. He also begged for Amata's hand and heart, as he had fallen in love with her.[1]